Professional Development and Networking
Virtual Networking
Join our Facebook group and connect with peer recovery specialists across the Commonwealth
Traditional Networking
Attend a meeting to discuss issues and discover resources specific to your region
News and Announcements
Find training opportunities, job announcements, special events and more
Getting Started
Certification Information
Information about Virginia’s Peer Recovery Specialist Certification
Peer Support Resources
National and statewide resources for peer recovery specialists
What is Peer Support?
“Peer support is a system of giving and receiving help founded on key principles of respect, shared responsibility, and mutual agreement of what is helpful. Peer support is not based on psychiatric models and diagnostic criteria. It is about understanding another’s situation empathically through the shared experience of emotional and psychological pain. When people find affiliation with others they feel are ‘like’ them, they feel a connection. This connection, or affiliation, is a deep, holistic understanding based on mutual experience where people are able to ‘be’ with each other without the constraints of traditional (expert/patient) relationships.”
Shery Mead, 2001